40 A BIRD COLLECTOR'S MEDIEEY: 
in a new place. My only reason for avoiding them is that, under ordinary 
circumstances, I would sooner try and do the whole thing myself and fail, than 
I would have half of it done by another and succeed. 
During the evening flight alone does the shore shooter require a dog. Ina 
boat a dog is a terror; on the open shore he is nearly as bad; but when one is 
flight-shooting he is an invaluable ally. A dog’s nose is worth a dozen human 
eyes when it comes to hunting for a wounded bird in the dark, and, moreover, 
while he hunts you can shoot. 
The most enjoyable evening’s flight-shooting that ever came my way was 
due to an accident. I had taken up my station on a Norfolk marsh behind a 
gate, expecting one or two shots at the outside. Hardly had I buried myself 
in the shadow, when up came a bunch of Teal, and I had no sooner settled 
with them than a flock of Mallard appeared, heading for the same spot. Again 
I fired, but the survivors, instead of making off for the more distant portion of 
the marsh, wheeled round, and were soon again within range. ‘This went on 
for the best part of half an hour, very much to my edification. There seemed 
some strange attraction about the gate that I had chosen. At last I grasped 
what they were after: the field next to mine was on a higher level, and, 
standing on the gate to see if there was anything there to attract them, I 
discovered that a crop of barley had just been cut, and was not yet gathered 
in. ‘The mystery was now explained; it was a victory of the stomach over 
the head. 
Barley, too, was accountable for some extraordinary Duck shooting that 
Was once obtained at Holme. A barley ship came ashore near Gore Point, and 
much of its cargo was scattered upon the beach. Ducks turned up in large 
numbers, and local sportsmen, clambering on to the wreck, did great execution 
until the tide returned. But what began amidst much mutual congratulation, 
was destined to end in the saddest of tragedies; for the shooter who returned 
first to the wreck after the tide had receded stepped into what he must have 
imagined to be a shallow pool of water at its side. It was not; it was a deep 
hole made by the ship when it first struck, but from which it had been shifted 
by the next tide. “The unfortunate man was carried down by his long waders, 
which, of course, filled, and in this awful death-trap he was drowned before 
anyone guessed that there was aught amiss. 
I myself having always to reckon with a possible attack of rheumatism, 
have rather a partiality for August and September as flighting months. The 
advantage in the matter of warmth is obvious, but there is also the matter of 
variety. During the season of migration one may towards evening meet with 
many other interesting creatures besides Duck, creatures far more valuable in 
